Ban on Ganesha pandals adds to crisis in small biz

Vadodara: If they were thinking to even out their losses from the lockdown during Ganesha festival, all calculations of many big and small businessmen crashed after the administration banned worship in public pandals.
The ban on celebrations in public has dealt a major blow to businesses like DJ musicians, event managers, sweet shop owners, and other small businessmen who are already reeling under huge losses.
“Every year, our business used to take off from Ganesha festival. But the ban this year on installing big pandals has affected us directly as we are totally out of work with not a single pandal being installed in and around the city,” said Lalabhai Shyamwala.
His business was to rent tents, chairs and other items apart from installing big pandals. Shyamwala said that they were already facing losses due to ban on other big gatherings too like weddings even after the lockdown was lifted.
“I had applied for a housing loan as I was expecting to earn during this Ganesha festival. But, contrary to my calculations, there was no taker for my DJ music system this year and I haven’t earned a single penny this time. I have no option but to cancel buying a house,” said Lalsinh Chauhan, a DJ music artiste.
Echoing similar sentiments, Dwarkesh Mehta of Yamuna Agarbatti, said, “Ganesha festival is our peak business time as thousands of devotees visit the pandals and offer incense sticks. Pandal organizers used to buy stock in bulk, but this time business is down by over 50 per cent.”
Even sweet-shop owners in the old city are bitter about the cancellation of community celebration which is compounding their losses.
Meanwhile, cops have strictly warned people of legal action if anyone is seen flouting the government order imposing ban on public celebrations of Ganesha festivals .